Improvement in seeding-machines



I. H. CONKLIN.

Grain-DHH.

Patented Jan. 5. 1858.

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AMPMOI'O-LITHO. CD. N.Y. (OSBDRNES PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAAG H. GONKLIN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l9,020, dated January 5, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac H. GoNKLrN, of Rockford, in the county ot' Winnebago and btate of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Seeding-Machine; and l do hereby de clare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had-to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specicatioinin which- Figure lis a plan or top view ot'myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a t'ront view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section otl the saine, me, Fig'. l, indicating the plane ot' section. Fig. 4 is also a transverse vertical section of the same, g/ y, Fig. 1, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the drill-hopper, showing the manner of distributing the seed therefrom, e z, Fig. 3, indicating the plane of section.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

This invention consists in the peculiar construction of the machine, the arrangement of its parts, dto., whereby the lnachine may sow either in hills or drills, or broadcast, as may be desired.

The above desirable result is obtained as follows: The body of the machine is constructed of a hard-wood plank, a, ot suitable dimensions. The upper surface of this plank may be covered with a piece of metal plate, b, and the body is mounted on two wheels, A A', which turn loosely on their axles.

' On the upper surface ofthe plank, or, rather, on the plate b, a bar, B, is placed. This bar extends the whole length ot' the machine and is pivoted to arms c, which arms are pivoted to the plate b. The bar B has areciprocating motion given it by a cam or zigzag wheel, U, the periphery of which works in a groove or slot in the end of au arm, d, connected with the bar B. The cam C is placed on the inner end of a shaft, D, which is iitted in proper bearings on the plate b, and has a pinion, e, ou its outer end, the pinion @gearing into a toothed wheel, f, attached to the wheel A. Thus it will be seen that a reciprocating motion is given the bar B from the Wheel A' as the machine is drawn along.

To each end ofthe bar B, and also at its center a bar, g, is pivoted. These bars are attached to the plate b by pivots h, which are the i'ulcrum-pins of the bars. The inner ends of the bars have square or rectangular plates@ attached to or formed on them, saidfplates beingeach perforated with two holes. The plates t' work underneath hoppers j, placed on the plate b.

To the under side ofthe plank a. and directly below each hopper j a spout or tube, la, is attached. The lower ends of these tubes tit into the upper ends ot' hollow shares l, which are attached to the front side of a beam, E. This beam E extends the whole length of the plank a and is attached to the ends of bars m, the front ends of which are jointed to the front end of the plank a. The beam E is supported by wheels n, one' near each end, the axes 0 of said wheels being fitted in segment-bars p, which are attached to the beam. The bars p have a series ot' holes made through them, in either of which the axes o may be fitted in order to keep the beam E the desired height from the ground.

0n the back part of the plank a a hopper, F, is secured. This hopper extends the whole length of the plank, and within this hopper two sliding plates, q q', are placed. These plates work against the inner sides ot' the hopper and are connected at either end by a crossstrip. The outer plate, q', is connected by a bar, r, with a hopper, G, which has a perforated bottom. The said hopper G rests or works on guides s, is placed just back of the plank a, and is connected to the reciprocating bar B by an arm, t.

The bottom of the hopper F has holes u made through it at equal distances apart, said holes being directly over or in line with tubes or spouts @,which project down from the plank a, the lower ends of said tubes fitting into the upper ends of hollow shares w, which are attached to the back side of the beam E. To this back side of the beam E rake-teeth a are attached.

To the outer side of the wheel A a circular disk, b', is attached, and on the axle of said wheel A a circular disk, c', is placed, the said disk being provided with teeth d at certain points on its periphery. The disk c' has holes e made through it, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The disk c' is attached to a hub or collar, f', which has a grooved pulley, g', upon it, around which abelt,h,passes. The belt h also passes around a pulley, i', on a shaft, j', placed in suitable bearings attached to the plate b. The shaftj is fitted in sliding bearings, and has a spiral spring, k', around it. A lever or catch, H, is attached to a support of one of the bearings of the shaft j. This lever or catch prevents the shaft 7" from moving casually.

To the beam E a lever, l', is attached. This lever has its fulcrum atm', and extends upward in frontofthe plank a, near the drivers seat I.

To one end ofthe plank a an upright, n', is attached, and anlever, J, is attached to the upper end of said upright. 'lhe use of thislevcr will `be presently shown.

'lhe operation is as follows: If seed is to be sown broadcast the hopper G is filled, and this hopper has a reciprocating motion given it in consequence of being connected with the bar B by means of the arm t. The seed will be evenly distributed, as the bottom 0f the hopper is perforated similar to a screen or sieve.

l-f the seed is to be sown indrills, the hopper F is filled, and the two plates q q, as they work hack and forth, prevent the seed from clogging .0r choking in said hopper. The seed passes through the holes u and down through the tubes t and behind or through the hollow shares w.

It' the seed is to he sown` in hills or checkrows, the wheel A is reversed, or what was formerly its outer side is turned inward, and a pin, fr', on the disk b' is fitted in one of the holese in the disk c on the axle.V The hoppers are then filled with4 seed, and the teeth d on the disk c give an intermittent motion to the shaft D, and the bar B will consequently be operated at intervals, the seed passing through the holesin the plates i as said plates are moved back and forth underneath the hoppcrs,the seed-passing through the tubes k and between or through the shares l. The seed may be dropped at greater or less intervals, or, rather, the distance may be regulated so that space maybe gained or lost by throwing the disk c' in and out of gear with the pinion e by moving the shaft j. By this means any irregularity in the dropping may be compensated for.

The driver may at any time raise the beam E by merely pressing the foot against the upper 'end of the lever l', and the beam may be so adjusted that the shares l w will penetrate the required depth into the soil by adjusting theaxesoof the wheels u in the segment-barsp.

Thus it will be seen that seed may be sown either broadcast, in drills,or in check-rows by one and the same machine. As the bar -B is operated back and forth the lever J will be vibrated in consequence ofthe arm t striking its lower end, and the lever consequently serves as an indicator,and is particularly useful when planting in checkrows,as each dropping-cau be noted and the hills consequently planted evenly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hoppersj andv the hopper F when arranged with the har B as shown and used in connection with the bar E, provided with shares, as described, so that the seed may by the same mechanismI be distributed from either hopper and sown either in drills or check-rows, as may be desired.

2. The disk c', attached to the wheel A,and provided with teeth d', arranged, as shown,in connection with the disk b', for the purpose of operating intermittently the bar B, for the purposev specified.

I. H. @ONK-UN. y Witnesses BELA SHA-w, SAM. I. CHURCH. 

